Glider fifth wheel attachment

ABSTRACT

A glider fifth wheel attachment assembly includes a support frame including a pair of spaced guide rails and a pair of upright assemblies attached to the guide rails. Each upright assembly includes a lower sleeve portion for receiving a respective guide rail, an intermediate housing portion vertically above the sleeve portion, and an upper mounting portion vertically above the housing portion. A head assembly may be adjustably mounted between respective housing portions of the upright assemblies. At least one roller is positioned within each housing portion of the upright assemblies such that the at least one roller contacts an upper surface of an upper guide rail. In addition, the glider fifth wheel attachment assembly includes a latching assembly for releasably locking the glider fifth wheel attachment assembly between a first and a second position.

CROSS-NOTING TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 09/834,317, filed Apr. 13, 2001, which in turn claims thebenefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/320,498, U.S. Pat. No.6,247,720, filed May 26, 1999.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates generally to towing devices and,more particularly, to an adjustable fifth wheel hitch attachment forenhanced maneuverability in limited or tight operating areas.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Fifth wheel hitches for towing a trailer behind a towing vehicleare well known in the art. Typically, fifth wheel hitches include asupport frame for mounting the hitch to the towing vehicle. Usually,fifth wheel hitches are mounted within the bed of a pick-up truck. Thesupport frame includes a pair of transverse rails that are bolted to thebed and/or frame of the truck, rail assemblies that are releasablymounted to the transverse rails and upright assemblies mounted to therail assemblies. A transverse cross bar typically interconnects theupright assemblies, thereby forming a head support for mounting a headassembly by means of a trunnion arrangement allowing for pivotal foreand aft movement. The head assembly includes a jaw assembly operable bymeans of a control handle and is specifically adapted to releasablyengage and hold a kingpin of a towed vehicle.

[0004] Conventional fifth wheel trailer hitches typically limit themaneuverability of a towing vehicle at low speeds and in close quarters.In particular, fifth wheel hitches typically center the kingpin of thetowed vehicle substantially between the rear wheels and over the rearaxle of the towing vehicle. When so mounted, very close clearance isprovided between the towed vehicle and portions of the towing vehicle.Under normal towing conditions, the close clearance is sufficient toallow effective operation under speed on the open road. However, theclose clearance may hinder maneuverability, especially in situationsrequiring tight cornering within limited space, such as, for example,the conditions found at campgrounds and some trailer parks.

[0005] In order to address the maneuvering shortcomings of conventionalfifth wheel trailer hitches, various attempts at adjustable fifth wheelhitches have been made. It has been found that by temporarily moving thehitch assembly rearward in the towing vehicle, clearance between thetowing vehicle and the towed vehicle is increased, thereby allowing forgreater maneuverability of the towed vehicle. In one adjustable fifthwheel hitch design, the towed vehicle must be detached from the fifthwheel hitch prior to any adjustment of the fifth wheel hitch. Thedetachment efforts are time consuming and require precise movement ofthe towing vehicle. The adjustable hitches also typically require morethan one person to effect the adjustment of the fifth wheel hitch.Another design utilizes low friction shoes within upright mountingmembers for movement on parallel guide rails. The uprights areselectively slideable along each guide rail. Each upright includes ahollow cavity for receiving a dual bar latch and a leaf spring forbiasing the dual bar latch into a position to lock the uprights againstslideable movement. However, the effective weight borne by the lowfriction shoes tends to cause binding of the shoes such that seizing mayoccur. The high friction between moving parts prevents easy and smoothadjustment of the fifth wheel trailer hitch. Moreover, the latchingmechanism is hidden from view, thereby preventing an operator fromconfirming engagement of the locking mechanism to lock the adjustableportion against slideable movement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention is directed to a glider fifth wheelattachment assembly for use with fifth wheel towing assemblies attachedto motor vehicles. The glider fifth wheel attachment assembly includes asupport frame including a pair of spaced guide rails and a pair ofupright assemblies attached to the guide rails. Each upright assemblyincludes a lower sleeve portion for receiving a respective guide rail,an intermediate housing portion vertically above the sleeve portion, andan upper mounting portion vertically above the housing portion. A headassembly may be adjustably mounted between respective mounting portionsof the upright assemblies. One roller is positioned within each housingportion of the upright assemblies such that the roller contacts an uppersurface of an upper guide rail. The glider fifth wheel attachmentassembly further includes a latching assembly for releasably locking theglider fifth wheel attachment assembly between a first and a secondtowing position.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, each housing portion includes twospaced rollers contacting the upper surface of the respective guiderails. In a most preferred embodiment, the latching assembly furtherincludes a generally L-shaped bar, wherein a first end of the barextends through aligned apertures in the housing portions. At least onelatch pin is mounted parallel to and laterally spaced from the first endadjacent at least one of the upright assemblies. The latch pin isreceived in one of a plurality of apertures formed in the guide rails,wherein the plurality of apertures correspond to the respective firstand second positions. Moreover, the latching mechanism is preferablybiased to a latched position in either the first or second position bymeans of a compression spring located along the first end of thelatching bar. The housing portions may further include at least onestrap parallel to an axis of rotation of the rollers, and closelyadjacent thereto.

[0008] The glider fifth wheel attachment assembly of the presentinvention allows adjustment of the fifth wheel hitch assembly usingrollers. As a result, the fifth wheel trailer hitch is allowed to rollfore and aft, while the towed vehicle remains coupled to a towingvehicle. Advantageously, the glider fifth wheel attachment assemblyrolls, rather than slides. Binding between the fifth wheel trailer hitchand the guide rails due to uneven rolling or excessive friction istherefore entirely eliminated. In the preferred embodiment, the latchingmechanism is visible outside of the upright assemblies so that an enduser may positively identify when the glider fifth wheel attachmentassembly is locked in either a first or a second position. Moreover, thelatching mechanism is preferably biased to a latched position in eitherthe first or second position by means of a compression spring located ona first end of the latching bar. In this way, shortcomings of prior artadjustable fifth wheel hitch assemblies are overcome.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The features and inventive aspects of the present invention willbecome more apparent upon reading the following detailed description,claims, and drawings, of which the following is a brief description:

[0010]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a fifth wheel trailer hitchincorporating the glider fifth wheel attachment assembly of the presentinvention.

[0011]FIG. 2 is a side view of the glider fifth wheel attachmentassembly of the present invention.

[0012]FIG. 3 is a side view of a portion of the glider fifth wheelattachment assembly of the present invention.

[0013]FIG. 4 is an end view of FIG. 3 showing the rollers of the presentinvention.

[0014]FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view along lines 5-5 of FIG. 1 showingthe latching mechanism of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] A fifth wheel hitch assembly 20 is shown in FIG. 1 incorporatingthe glider fifth wheel attachment assembly 22 of the present invention.The hitch assembly 20 is generally mounted on a support frame comprisinga pair of spaced base rails 24 of conventional design that are bolted orotherwise fastened to the frame of a motor vehicle in a manner wellknown in the art.

[0016] According to the invention, a pair of spaced, parallel guiderails 26 are mounted to bridge between the base rails 24. The guiderails 26 therefore extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the motorvehicle when properly mounted. Preferably, each guide rail 26 is formedfrom a four-sided tube constructed from steel or other suitable highstrength material. If desired, an end cap 28 may be affixed to each freeend 30 of the guide rails 26. As best seen in FIG. 2, each guide rail 26further includes downwardly extending tabs 32 at pre-determinedpositions along the axial length of the guide rails 26. The tabs 32 arereceived within slots 34 (FIG. 1) formed in the base rails 24. Once thetabs 32 are inserted into proper slots 34, a connecting pin 36 isinserted through aligned, cooperating apertures 38 to capture the tab 32and affix the guide rails 26 to the base rails 24, thereby effectingproper installation of both base rails 24 and guide rails 26.

[0017] According to the present invention, portions of the glider fifthwheel attachment assembly are mounted to the guide rails 26 before theguide rails 26 are attached to the base rails 24. As best seen in FIG.2, an upright assembly 40 is mounted to each guide rail 26. Each uprightassembly 40 includes a lower sleeve portion 42 (see FIG. 3), anintermediate housing portion 44, and an upper mounting portion 46. Theguide rail 26 is inserted within the sleeve portion 42 before beingattached to the base rails 24. Therefore, it may be appreciated that thesleeve portion 42 is sized to be slightly larger than the dimensions ofthe four-sided guide rails 26 so that the walls 43 of the sleeve portion42 do not interfere with longitudinal movement of the upright assembliesalong the guide rails 26.

[0018] The upper mounting portion 46 of the upright assembly 40 includesspaced bolt holes 48 for mounting a cross-member or head support 50.Conventionally known head supports 50 are height adjustable to enhancethe versatility of the hitch assembly 20 in interconnecting towingvehicles and towed vehicles of various heights and dimensions. A headassembly 52 for receiving attachment means of a towed vehicle isattached to the head supports 50. The head assembly 52 includes a jawassembly 54 for releasably engaging a kingpin (not shown) of a towedvehicle (not shown). Jaw assemblies such as shown at reference 54 arewell known in the art. The head assembly 52 is also typically pivotallymounted to the head support 50.

[0019] To provide smooth adjustability, the glider fifth wheelattachment assembly of the present invention further includes at leastone roller 56 mounted within each housing portion 44 of the uprightassemblies 40. Preferably, as best seen in FIG. 3, two rollers 56 aremounted within the housing portion 44, with the rollers being placedadjacent the longitudinal edges of the upright assembly 40 for bettersupport of the fifth wheel hitch assembly. Preferably, the rollers areformed from a hard material capable of withstanding the loading forcesof a towed vehicle while not adversely interacting with the guide rails26. The rollers 56 contact an upper surface 58 of the guide rails 26 toallow the glider fifth wheel attachment assembly 22 to be easily movedbetween a first, or towing, position and a second, or maneuvering,position.

[0020] The glider fifth wheel attachment assembly is shown in the first,or towing, position in FIG. 1. Because the rollers 56 are installedusing bolts 57, the side walls 68 of the housing portion 44 may becompressed inwardly. To prevent excess compression, a metal strap 45 maybe formed between the sidewalls 68 parallel to an axis of rotation ofthe rollers 56 to limit the amount that the bolts 57 may be tightened.

[0021] The first, or towing, position preferably fixes the location ofthe head assembly 52, and therefore the load of the towed vehicle,substantially over the rear axle and between the rear wheels of thetowing vehicle. In this position, clearance between the towed vehicleand the towing vehicle is minimized, but is within acceptable limits fornormal towing operations. However, the clearance between the towing andtowed vehicles when the location of the head assembly 52 is in the firstposition is often insufficient to allow precise maneuvering withinlimited spaces such as those found in campgrounds or trailer parks. As aresult, maneuvering in limited spaces often causes undesirable contactbetween the towing and towed vehicles, possible damaging either vehicle.To reduce the possibility of undesirable interaction between the towingand towed vehicles, the glider fifth wheel attachment assembly 22 of thepresent invention may be moved rearwardly to a second position by thetowing vehicle operator while the towed vehicle is still attached to thehead assembly, thereby increasing the clearance between the towing andthe towed vehicles.

[0022] In particular, as best seen in FIG. 5, a latching mechanism 60 isused to lock the glider fifth wheel attachment assembly 22 of thepresent invention into either the first or the second positions. Thelatching mechanism 60 preferably includes a generally L-shaped bar 62that is selectively rotatable between a first and a second position. Thebar 62 may be a unitary piece, or it may include several pieces fastenedtogether, as shown in FIG. 5. A first end 64 of the bar 62 extendsthrough aligned apertures 66 formed in the sidewalls 68 of the housingportion 44. Preferably, the first end 64 extends between both uprightassemblies 40 perpendicular to the guide rails 26. At least one latchpin 70 is fixedly mounted along the first end 64 of the bar 62 such thatthe latch pin 70 is parallel and laterally spaced from the bar 62 axisof rotation (indicated generally by line 5-5 of FIG. 1). As seen in FIG.5, the latch pin 70 is preferably mounted adjacent to a side wall 43 ofthe sleeve portion 42. Importantly, the latch pin 70 is not hiddenwithin the upright assembly 40, but rather is in plain view so that anoperator may visibly confirm adequate latching. A compression spring 72,mounted between an upright assembly 40 and a shoulder 74 formed alongthe bar first end 64 resiliently biases the latching pin 70 intoengagement with either a first latching hole 76 (see FIGS. 2 and 3),corresponding to a first position, or a second latching hole 78,corresponding to a second position. Both latching holes 76, 78 areformed in the side wall 43 of the lower sleeve portion 42 generallyvertically below the aligned holes 66. Preferably, pins 70 include abeveled tip 80 to enable easy insertion into the latching holes 76, 78.

[0023] In addition to engaging one of the latching holes 76,78, thelatch pin 70 also engages one of holes 84, 86 formed in the guide rails26 that align with the latching holes 76, 78. Preferably, latching hole76 aligns with hole 84 in the guide rail 26 when the glider attachmentassembly 22 is in the first position for towing the fifth wheel trailer.Likewise, latching hole 78 preferably aligns with hole 86 in the guiderail 26 when the glider attachment assembly 22 is in the second positionfor maneuvering the fifth wheel trailer in tight spaces. And when theglider fifth wheel attachment assembly 22 is in either the first or thesecond position, the latching mechanism 60 ensures that the entireassembly is fixed in place because the latch pins 70 are inserted withinthe appropriate aligned holes. In a preferred embodiment, the first end64 of the L-shaped bar is provided with a second latch pin 70 adjacentto the second guide rail 26 that engages corresponding holes in thesecond guide rail that are aligned with holes 84 and 86 in the firstguide rail.

[0024] The glider fifth wheel attachment assembly shown in FIG. 1 is inthe first or towing position, such that the head support 50 and the headassembly 52 are positioned towards the front of the towing vehicle (notshown). The latching mechanism 60 is rotated so that a second end 87 ofthe L-shaped bar 62 points generally vertically, causing the latch pin70 to engage the first latching hole 76, and in turn, the first guiderail hole 84 to secure the glider assembly in place. In the firstposition, the glider attachment assembly 22 distributes the weight ofthe towed vehicle over the towing vehicle rear axle, thereby achievingstable towing under normal operation.

[0025] When required, however, the operator of the towing vehicle maysimply and easily adjust the glider attachment assembly 22 to provideadditional clearance between the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle toenhance the maneuverability of the towed vehicle. To achieve theadditional clearance, the operator stops the towing vehicle andmanipulates the L-shaped bar 62 of the latching mechanism 60. TheL-shaped bar is first pulled in a direction away from the gliderassembly (to the left in FIGS. 1 and 5), thereby compressing the spring72 and removing the latch pins 70 from within holes 76 and 84. Theoperator then pivots the L-shaped bar 62 in a direction away from thetowed vehicle (i.e. counterclockwise), thereby moving the latch pins 70from the first position to a second position engaged within hole 78 onthe lower sleeve portion of the upright assembly 40. Because thelatching hole 78 is not immediately aligned with the second hole 86, theglider assembly is allowed to smoothly roll rearwardly of the towingvehicle on the rollers 56, causing the towed vehicle to move backwardlyand away from the towing vehicle a predetermined amount. To accomplishthe movement of the glider attachment assembly, the towed vehicle may bemanually pushed backwardly while the towing vehicle remains stationaryif the towed vehicle is on an appropriately smooth and level surface.Alternatively, the operator may move the towing vehicle forward whileengaging the brakes of the towed vehicle to accomplish movement of theglider attachment assembly. Once the latch pins 70 are disengaged, therollers 56 allow such a smooth transition between first and secondpositions that often only manually applied force is necessary to movethe glider assembly, whereas prior art adjustable fifth wheel hitchassemblies require moving the towing vehicle forward.

[0026] Because the latch pins 70 are resiliently biased by thecompression spring 72, once the second guide rail hole 86 becomesaligned with the second latch hole 78 after the glider assembly hasmoved the predetermined amount, the latch pins 70 snap into place,thereby locking the glider attachment assembly 22 against furtherrearward movement. In this way, the glider attachment assembly becomeslocked in a second position, where additional clearance is providedbetween the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle. Preferably, the gliderattachment assembly is allowed to move between 6 and 10 inchesrearwardly. Most preferably, the glider attachment assembly 22 allowsfor 9.5 inches of travel between the first and the second positions. Theadded space or clearance between the towing and the towed vehiclesallows for sharp turning so that the operator may negotiate tight spaceswhere maneuverability is required.

[0027] It should be noted that the reverse procedure applies to returnthe glider attachment assembly 22 to the first position. Thus, whenenhanced maneuverability is no longer required, the operator pulls theL-shaped bar 62 away from the glider attachment assembly and rotates itclockwise so that the latch pins engage the first latching hole 76. Thetowed vehicle is then moved towards the towing vehicle until theresiliently biased latch pins 70 additionally engage the first guiderail holes 84.

[0028] The rollers 56 of the present invention therefore providesignificant advantages over the prior art. In particular, the fifthwheel trailer hitch is allowed to roll fore and aft, while the towedvehicle remains coupled to a towing vehicle without suffering frombinding due to excessive friction or metal to metal binding caused bywear and compression of low friction shoes. Thus, binding between thefifth wheel trailer hitch and the guide rails due to uneven rolling orexcessive friction is eliminated. Moreover, in the preferred embodiment,the latching mechanism 60, comprising an L-shaped bar 62 and latch pins70, is visible outside of the upright assemblies so that an operator maypositively identify when the glider fifth wheel attachment assembly 22is locked against movement in either a first or a second position. Theglider attachment assembly 22 of the present invention may also be usedwith any commercially available fifth wheel hitch assembly to convertthe fifth wheel hitch into an adjustable assembly capable of movingbetween a first and a second towing position. Thus, the presentinvention solves all problems present in prior art adjustable fifthwheel trailer hitch assemblies.

[0029] Preferred embodiments of the present invention have beendisclosed. A person of ordinary skill in the art will realize, however,that certain modifications and alternative forms will come within theteachings of this invention. Therefore, the following claims should bestudied to determine the true scope and content of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A glider fifth wheel attachment assembly,comprising: a support frame; an assembly for receiving a trailer hitch,said assembly movably mounted on said support frame by at least oneroller.
 2. The glider fifth wheel attachment assembly of claim 1,wherein said at least one roller is mounted within a housing attached tosaid assembly.
 3. The glider fifth wheel attachment assembly of claim 2,further including a latching assembly for releasably locking the gliderassembly against movement between a first and a second position.
 4. Aglider fifth wheel attachment assembly comprising: a support frameincluding at least one guide rail; an upright assembly including a lowersleeve portion for receiving said guide rail, an intermediate housingportion vertically above said sleeve portion, and an upper mountingportion vertically above said housing portion for adjustably mounting ahead assembly; said housing portion including at least one rollerpositioned such that said roller contacts an upper surface of said guiderail; and a latching assembly for releasably locking said uprightassembly against movement between a first and a second position.
 5. Theglider fifth wheel attachment assembly of claim 4, wherein said housingportion includes more than one roller.
 6. The glider fifth wheelattachment assembly of claim 5, wherein said latch assembly comprises abar, a first end of said bar extending through aligned apertures in saidhousing portion, and at least one latch pin mounted along said first endadjacent said upright assembly.
 7. The glider fifth wheel attachmentassembly of claim 6, wherein said guide rail includes spaced aperturesat predetermined positions along a side of said guide rail for receivingsaid at least one latch pin.
 8. The glider fifth wheel attachment ofclaim 6, wherein said pin is generally parallel to and laterally spacedfrom said first end.
 9. The glider fifth wheel attachment of claim 8,wherein said pin is resiliently biased into engagement with at least oneof said spaced apertures.
 10. The glider fifth wheel attachment of claim9, wherein said pin is received in one of a plurality of aperturesformed in said upright assembly, one of said apertures corresponding tosaid first position and another of said apertures corresponding to saidsecond position.
 11. The glider fifth wheel attachment of claim 10,wherein said bar is generally L-shaped.
 12. In an adjustable fifth wheeltrailer hitch assembly of the type having at least one upright assemblymovably mounted on a guide rail, a latching mechanism comprising: a bar,a first end of said bar extending through aligned apertures in theupright assembly, and at least one latch pin mounted along said firstend adjacent said upright assembly, said latch pin resiliently biasedinto positive engagement with at least one spaced aperture formed on anexterior surface of the guide rail when the upright assembly is allowedto move a predetermined distance along the guide rail.
 13. The latchingmechanism of claim 12, wherein said spaced apertures are readily visibleto an operator of the latching mechanism.
 14. The latching mechanism ofclaim 13, wherein said latch pin is generally parallel to and laterallyspaced from said first end.
 15. The latching mechanism of claim 14,wherein said pin is further received in one of a plurality of aperturesformed in said upright assembly, one of said apertures corresponding toa first position and another of said apertures corresponding to a secondposition.
 16. A glider fifth wheel attachment assembly comprising: asupport frame including at least one guide rail; an upright assembly,including a lower sleeve portion for receiving said guide rail, anintermediate housing portion vertically above said sleeve portion, andan upper mounting portion vertically above said housing portion foradjustably mounting a head assembly; said housing portion including atleast one roller positioned such that said roller contacts an uppersurface of said guide rail; and a latching assembly for releasablylocking the glider assembly against movement between a first and asecond position, said latch assembly comprising a bar, a first end ofsaid bar extending through aligned apertures in said housing portion,and at least one latch pin mounted along said first end adjacent to saidupright assembly.
 17. The glider fifth wheel attachment assembly ofclaim 16, wherein said housing portion includes more than one roller.18. The glider fifth wheel attachment assembly of claim 17, wherein saidguide rail includes spaced apertures at predetermined positions along aside of said guide rail for receiving said at least one latch pin. 19.The glider fifth wheel attachment of claim 18, wherein said pin isgenerally parallel to and laterally spaced from said first end.
 20. Theglider fifth wheel attachment of claim 19, wherein said pin isresiliently biased into engagement with at least one of said spacedapertures.
 21. The glider fifth wheel attachment of claim 19, whereinsaid pin is received in one of a plurality of apertures formed in saidupright assembly, one of said apertures corresponding to a firstposition and another of said apertures corresponding to a secondposition.
 22. The glider fifth wheel attachment of claim 21, whereinsaid bar is generally L-shaped.
 23. The glider fifth wheel attachment ofclaim 22, wherein said housing member further includes at least onestrap formed parallel to an axis of rotation of said roller betweenopposing sidewalls of said housing portion.